Press release
Global Artists-Writers Convene for Summit June 7-8 in Brooklyn
New York
Global Artists-Writers Convene for Summit June 7-8 in Brooklyn to Examine Censorship and Artistic Freedom, Hosted by Artists at Risk Connection and Art at a Time Like This
“Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists” Will Highlight Links Between Art and Human Rights
(NEW YORK) - Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) and Art at a Time Like This (ATLT) are joining forces to host the Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists event series on June 7 and 8, a continuation of its May 10th launch at the Independent Art Fair. This latest summit will focus on artistic freedom at BRIC, in Brooklyn with a convening of artists, activists, performers, and writers from around the world to examine the complex issue of censorship from a wide range of perspectives.
“Powerful oppressors and their flunkies are terrified by artists and others raising their voices against injustice; the words and courage of the Iranian rapper Toomaj in support of Women, Life, Freedom and voices and action of college students across the United States demanding an end to the genocide against Palestinians are all inspiring more people to resist,” said American artist Dread Scott. “This expression is needed more than ever, yet it faces retaliation by mullahs in Tehran and by university presidents and cops from New York to Los Angeles.”
Speakers include Iranian visual artist, Shirin Neshat; journalist and author of The 1619 Project Nikole Hannah-Jones; writer and art critic Aruna D’Souza; Palestinian-American pioneer artist Samia Halaby; American visual artist Dread Scott; Pakistani-American visual artist Shazia Sikander; Sudanese writer Rania Manoun; founder and co-director of Project for Empty Space Jasmine Wahi; co-founder of ArtLords and Afghan artivist Omaid Sharifi; Kenyan musician Octopizzo; and Indigenous American artist and activist Demian DinéYazhi'.
“I was born in Vietnam where freedom of expression and artistic freedom have always been suppressed. I have had to become an activist to protect my right to be an artist because the artist inside me doesn’t want to be killed by the censorship system. We all should be activists, even if it means being a bad activist like me,” said Vietnamese singer and activist Mai Khôi.
ARC and ATLT have observed a dramatic increase in artistic censorship over the past few years, ranging from book bans and anti-drag legislation in the U.S. to unjust laws worldwide that threaten artists and seek to erase rich cultures. Amid the horrific devastation of civilian life coupled with the immense destruction of art and cultural heritage in Gaza, along with critical elections in at least 64 countries this year, the series will feature an interdisciplinary assembly of discussions and performances that encapsulate the landscape of an artistic revolution. Discussions will underscore the vital role of artists and cultural professionals as human rights defenders, and signal the distinct challenges creatives face due to their artivism.
Dangerous Art/Endangered Artists Schedule of Events
June 7: Summit Day 1
- 4:30pm: Doors open
- 5:00 pm: Keynote address - Shirin Neshat (Iran/US)
in conversation with Julie Trebault, artistic director, ARC - 6:00 pm: Performance - Octopizzo (Kenya)
- 6:15 pm: Artists at the forefront of social movements - Dread Scott (US) and Samia Halaby (Palestine/US)
in conversation with Barbara Pollack, co-founder and co-director, ATLT - 7:15 pm: Resiliency in Exile - Rania Mamoun (Sudan/US) and Mai Khôi (Vietnam/US) in conversation with Dinaw Mengestu
- 8:15 pm: Reception with artists
June 8: Summit Day 2
- 10:30 am : Doors open
- 11:00 am: Here and Now: Censorship as a Political Tool in the United States - Nikole Hannah-Jones (US) and Aruna D’Souza (Canada/US)
- 12:15 pm: Global Censorship: What It Looks Like, Who Does It, How to Combat It - Coco Fusco (Cuba/US), Omaid Sharifi (Afghanistan), Khaled Jarrar (Palestine), Octopizzo (Kenya), moderated by Mari Spirito (US/Turkey)
- 2:00 pm: Lunch Break
- 3:30 pm: Is Censorship Discriminatory? - Lorena Wolffer (Mexico), Demian Diné Yazhi’ (US/Navajo Nation), Shahzia Sikander (Pakistan/US), moderated by Jasmine Wahi (US)
- 5:15 pm: Performance with Mai Khôi
Ticket price
- $50 for both June 7 and 8 / $30 for students
- $30 for June 7 or June 8 / $15 for students
Tickets are available on Eventbrite.
For more information about these events, please visit the Dangerous Art, Endangered Artists program.
About the Organizers
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) safeguards the right to artistic freedom of expression and ensures that artists and cultural professionals everywhere can live and work without fear. Our ultimate goal is to address the needs of artists at risk and the organizations that serve them. Since its inception in 2017, ARC has assisted more than 500 individual artists and cultural professionals from over 63 countries by connecting them to a wide range of services, including emergency funds, legal assistance, temporary relocation programs, and fellowships.
Art at a Time Like This (ATLT) is a 501c3 arts organization that serves artists and curators facing the 21st century, presenting art in direct response to current events. Utilizing digital and public platforms, ATLT presents art in a non-profit context, highlighting art as an invaluable conveyor of content, rather than commodity. Our mission is to show that art can make a difference and that artists and curators can be thought-leaders, envisioning alternative futures for humanity.
Press Contacts
For more information and artists’ availability, please contact:
Valentine Sargent, ARC
vsargent@artistsatriskconnection.org
X: @atriskartists
Andy Cushman, ATLT
andy@artatatimelikethis.com
X: @artatatimelike